overlander



April 7, 1931. R. M. OVERLANDER. JR, ET AL 1,799,926

DESK HOLDER FOR WATCH MOVEMENTS Filed May 10, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 @mw 5%% @MW @51 fl'btommf April 7, 1 1- R. M. OVERLANDER, JR., ET AL 1,799,926

DESK HOLDER FOR WATCH MOVEMENTS Filed May 10, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awuemtow Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RUFUS MELVIN OVERLANDER, .13., AND EVARTS WEBSTER OVERLANDER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DESK HOLDER FOP. WATCH MOVEMENTS Application filed May 10, 1928. Serial No. 276,655.

Many persons are the proud possessors of old fashioned key-wind watches, but because of the fact that such watches have, so to speak, gone out of style they are no longer carried but are carefully laid away with the other family relics to be passed down to posterity as heirlooms, ad infinitum.

This invention has for an object to provide improved holding means whereby these now m unused watches may be transformed into ornamental desk clocks and thereby be caused to serve a useful purpose.

This invention contemplates providing an ornamental base, preferably in miniature i5 imitation of an old fashioned grandfathers clock, formed with a cavity to receive the watch movement and providing means cooperating with the base to hold the watch movements against both bodily and rotative movements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a substantially dust-proof casing for the watch movement and so to construct the casing and the means for holding the watch movement that access readily may be had to the movement for the purpose of winding, setting and adjustment.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a suitable support which will securely hold the watch movement in a predetermined position and preclude any pressure on the movement which might interfere with the proper functioning thereof.

This invention also has for an object to render available a novel holder for watches whereby a complete watch readily may be inserted therein and serves as a desk or similar clock.

Drawings depicting preferred forms of the invention form a part of this disclosure and in said drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a novel holder for watch movements embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the upper portion of Fig. 1 showing a watch movement held therein. Fig. 3 a rear view of the upper portion of Fi 1 with the dust door shown only in dotted lines to ex ose to view the watch movements therein. ig. 4 is a side elevation of a retaining collar, later to be described. Fig' 5 is a face view of a portion of the collar shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a face View of a spacer ring later to be referred to. Figs.

7 and 8 are side and face views respectively of a modified retaining collar. Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the upper portion of a modified holder, showing a complete watch held therein. Fig. 10 is a rear view of Fig. 9. Referring more specifically to the drawings the invention is disclosed as comprising a body member 1 preferably, but not necessarily, in the form of a miniature grandfathers clock. Adjacent its upper end the body member is formed with a cylindrical bore or cavity 2 adapted to receive a conventional watch movement M. At the face of the member the bore is of reduced diameter as shown at 3 in Fig. 2, thereby providing a shoulder 4 against which seats a suitable crystal 5. Intermediate the crystal 5 and the watch movement M there is a split metallic ring 6. This ring is adapted to expand into engagement with the walls of the bore 2 and performs the dual function, first of retaining the crystal 5 in contact with the shoulder 4 and second of serving as a spacer member between the crystal and the dial D of the watch movement, thereby to prevent the hands of the watch from contacting with the crystal, inasmuch as the dial D bears against the ring 6 the watch movement is positively held against movement outward. To hold the movement against inward movement a retainer 7, preferably in the form of a collar, is fitted into the bore 2 and has one edge thereof in engagement with the rear of the watch movement. The collar 7 maybe held inthe bore 2 by any suitable means, such for example, as by the screws 8 threaded into the body member 1.

' An important feature of this invention resides in the point of engagement between the collar and the movement. As is well understood watch movements include arms, designated generally as at, having relatively thick foot portions adapted to be secured to the bearing plates by screws as 9 (Fig. 3) and relatively thin overhanging unsupported liltl ends which provide bearings for the various pintles. The collar 7 is so constructed and arranged that it engages the arms 00 only adjacent their foot portions and outwardly of their fastening screws. This precludes eX- erting any pressure on the unsupported overhanging portion of the arms which otherwise mi 'ht deflect the arms, and the bearings carried thereby," and inter'fere with the proper operation of the watch movement.

To exclude dust and moisture from the watch movement a swinging 'do'or 10 is pivoted at 11 to the backof the body member V I 'bining a body member provided wlth a cyand is adapted completely and tightly to close the rear endof the bore 2. -The crystal 5"securelycloses;the forward end. The door 10--may,-;however,' readily be swung to the position illustrated in dotted lines'in Fig. 3 to permit-the-user to; apply a'suitable key to the square shaft12 forwinding orto the square shaft 13 for setting.

- To maintain the watch'movement in a predetermined position and to prevent it from rotating in the bore 2, when subjected to the-strain of winding, the collar 7 is providcd-wi-th asuitable anchor 14:- adapted to fit-between-and engage two of the arms 00.

Ingcertain types of watclrmovements the f I,

scribed our names.

pint les are journaled in a solid'plate instead of in the arms was shown in Fig. When such movements" are to be held the collar 7 'lmay be provided "with an anchor pin 15 as shown inFi-gs'; 7; and-8,- and this-pin be 'insrted inione of the'screw holes-normally that we have provided an improved holding means for watch movements which is capable of transforming unused and discarded watches into useful and ornamental desk clocks. Also that the modified construction above described enables afw'atch owner to obtain double duty from his watch; to wit first as a pocket watch and second as a desk clock.

'- Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is z A device of the character described comheld in place "by retaining, screws; passed through their outer ends; a retaining collar secured'within said bore behind said watch movement and affordingmeans to prevent displacement of's'aid watch movement; said collar being soFcbnstruCted and arranged as to engage said arms only outwardly of their retaining screws.

InEWitness whereof, we have-hereunto sub- RUFUS Marv n ovraitinilza, 'Jr. EVARTS WEBSTER ovnzmnura.

used-'to receive thescrews which hold the watch 'movementin its case.

Figs. 9-and 10 show a *modified holder adaptedito receive a'complete watch case'W with the movement therein. In this form,

in'addition to theb'oreQ the body member 1 is-formed'w-ith a'cavity 16 adaptedto receive the 'stem '8 and ring of a 'watch. The-bore 2 and cavity 16' are connected together by meansof a restricted slot 17 adaptedto receive-theneck ofthe wa'tchstem. The walls 18 0f-tl1e-slot'17 serve-as abutments for the 'stenrand thereby preclude rotation of the 'watch in'the bore'2. The watchmay'be in retained; predetermined position 1 with its crystal o'in the reduced home by means of a 'bl'ock 19 fitted within the bore Q'behind 

